Pinball History | Gottlieb's Fairytale Series: 1948 Alice in Wonderland

Summary

This script explores the revolutionary impact of flippers in pinball machines, particularly focusing on the Alice in Wonderland game from Gottlieb's Fairytale series. It details how designer Harry Mabs accidentally invented the flipper while experimenting with a bumper control mechanism. This innovation transformed pinball from a game of chance into one of skill. The video also touches on the success of Gottlieb's Fairytale series, which included games based on nursery rhymes and fairy tales, all featuring a similar playfield layout to the original flipper-driven game, Humpty Dumpty.

Takeaways

• 😀 Alice in Wonderland is part of Gottlieb's Fairytale series of pinball machines from the late 1940s.
• 😀 It holds a special place in pinball history as one of the first machines to feature flippers.
• 😀 The flipper was accidentally invented by designer Harry Mabs while working on another game, Humpty Dumpty.
• 😀 Initially, Mabs wanted to create a switch-controlled bumper, but accidentally created a flipper-controlled bumper.
• 😀 The flippers gave players control, revolutionizing pinball by adding skill to the game rather than leaving it purely to chance.
• 😀 Mabs intended to name the game 'Flipper', but Gottlieb saw a chance to build a fairy tale-based series of pinball machines.
• 😀 The new pinball series included games like Cinderella, Ali-Baba, and Alice in Wonderland, all with similar playfield layouts.
• 😀 The introduction of flippers marked a shift in the pinball industry from a game of luck to a skill-based game.
• 😀 Humpty Dumpty was the game that introduced the flippers to the public.
• 😀 The Fairytale series became very successful, largely due to the introduction of the flipper and its impact on gameplay.

Q & A

What is the significance of the Alice in Wonderland pinball machine?

The Alice in Wonderland pinball machine holds a special place in pinball history as part of the Fairytale series from Gottlieb and is one of the first pinball machines to feature flippers.

How did flippers come to be included in pinball machines?

Flippers were invented by accident by designer Harry Mabs, who originally wanted to create a bumper that moved when the ball passed over it. During testing, he wired the bumper to be controlled by a player, discovering that it was fun and allowing players to control the game.

What impact did the introduction of flippers have on pinball games?

The introduction of flippers revolutionized pinball by shifting the game from being primarily based on luck to one where skill played a significant role, changing how players interacted with the game.

What game first introduced the flippers to the public?

Humpty Dumpty, designed by Harry Mabs, was the first pinball game to feature flippers and introduced them to the public.

Why did Harry Mabs not name his game 'Flipper' as he originally intended?

Harry Mabs originally wanted to name his game 'Flipper', but Gottlieb's CEO, David Gottlieb, saw an opportunity to create a series of pinball machines based on nursery rhymes and fairy tales, including Alice in Wonderland, Ali-Baba, and Cinderella.

What role did David Gottlieb play in the success of the Fairytale series?

David Gottlieb decided to turn the idea into a series of pinball machines based on fairy tales and nursery rhymes, which became a big success, leveraging the popular theme and the innovation of the flippers.

What common feature did most games in the Fairytale series share?

Most games in the Fairytale series, including Alice in Wonderland, used the same playfield layout as the Humpty Dumpty pinball machine.

What was the original purpose of the bumper mechanism Harry Mabs was testing?

Harry Mabs initially intended for the bumper to be activated by a switch on the playfield, which would move when the ball rolled over it, but he accidentally wired it to be controlled by the player.

How did the concept of skill-based play in pinball affect the industry?

By introducing flippers, skill-based play became a dominant factor in pinball games, making them more engaging and less dependent on pure luck, which had previously been the case.

What were some of the other fairy tale-themed games in the Gottlieb series besides Alice in Wonderland?

Other games in the Gottlieb Fairytale series included themes such as Cinderella and Ali-Baba, in addition to Alice in Wonderland.